Large List of Bugfixes 2019-2023 (aka Legacy Large List of Suggestions and Requests for Photoline UI and Tools)

[shijan]

This is a archived legacy thread
Large List of Bugfixes 2019-2023 now moved to other separate thread viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6987

[Herbert123]

- Add real fullscreen mode switch (aka F key switch in Photoshop). This is the most important option for real life photo editing workflows.

View-->Full Screen plus hitting F11 comes pretty close to a full screen view without distractions.

- Free move image in any position inside window even when image is zoomed out. (Overscroll)

Edit-->Options-->Display-->Document
Set the Edge Width for both the Document Mode and Picture Mode to 998%.

This will allow for 'overscroll'.

- ICC profile and Adjustment layers should affect only image itself and should NOT affect surrounding grey background field. Please make that grey background always uniform separate item with fixed user selectable color.

I always wondered about this colour profile affecting the background when applied to the entire document or the background layer in picture mode. When a layer other than the background layer in picture mode or document mode is assigned a different colour profile, the background remains unaffected, btw.

But I agree that a colour profile should in principle not affect the surrounding grey area.

I don't think adjustment layers should be limited to the image / background layer area only because PhotoLine gives us the flexibility to work outside the canvas easily, unlike the limitations forced upon (for example) Photoshop users. I really like this freedom, in particular when working with larger compositions. I love the freedom PhotoLine allows me in this regard, and don't view the adjustment layer affecting the border content as a disadvantage at all. Quite the opposite. It is a different working paradigm.

Besides, if you want to limit the effect to the image area it is possible to hide the border content in the View menu.

- When i change document canvas size or copy/paste color correction Adjustment layer from one document to another, it copy adjustment layer dimension mask as well. As result if new document have different size and ratio, adjustment layer don't fits to it. Is it possible to always use some kind of infinity adjustment layers without mask by default and add mask to adjustment layer only as an option?

Yes, just turn the mask off. Shift-click the mask thumbnail.

- Rectangle lasso and Crop tool selection should start from the edge of the image border somehow. Currently they use surround background as a part of the image. (currently i can hold ALT key and so snap selection to the edge, but it feels like overcomplicated way for simple task)

Not too sure if this is what you want, but:
- Crop tool: hit CTRL-A OR double-click the Crop tool icon to start with a full-size crop.
- Rectangle Lasso: CTRL-A to select the entire layer. Double-clicking the tool gives you extra selection options.

PS double-clicking on the various tool icons will trigger quite useful additional behaviour. For example, double-clicking the layer tool will pop up the new layer dialog. Double-clicking the mask icons at the bottom will open the mask colour options.

- More Sample size Average options for tools that use Color picker. 5x5 is not enough In some situations. Currently it is very hard to pick correct white point from high resolution Grainy film scans. Also that setting is hidden deep into program settings. Why don't put that Sample size selector somewhere near Color picker icon?

Agreed. The resolution of images and photos increased quite dramatically the past decade. Additional point sample areas should be added - or better, allow for a custom setting of any size.

As for your second comment: I always display the Tool Settings dialog right next to the tools, so any tool setting is immediately available.

- Invert tool smart adjustment layer. I know there is invert button in Curves tool, but simple separate Invert adjustment layer always feels more user friendly and simpler way to go.

We do have a destructive option (Alt-i). I kinda agree with you that it is strange for beginners to realize no dedicated Invert adjustment layer is available, but on the other hand it feels like it would clutter the list of adjustment layers, and once the user realizes the curves include this preset, it works fine.

But on the other hand it IS quite obscure to figure out for a beginner PhotoLine user. The non-destructive Invert adjustment is not exposed at all to the user. I recall it took me a good 10 minutes to figure this out when I first began to work in PhotoLine. A true beginner will NOT find it.

Not sure how to solve this usability issue in an elegant way.

- Quick choose document background color with right click on window background.

Yes, would be a nice feature to have. The mini browser and browser backgrounds' grey tint can be adjusted by holding down ALT-CTRL and the mouse-wheel - perhaps this could be implemented for the main viewport as well.

- Option to choose Color for layer handles, for curves points and other control elements.

I would go one step further: the user should be able to customize ALL the major GUI element and widget colours, and save these in a theme. This would also solve a large part of the current colour scheme "ugliness". The GUI darkness slider doesn't provide sufficient control over the UI colours at all.

- Please rename "Histogram Correction" to "Levels". "Levels" is most commonly used universal name for this tool.

Ah, I remember the first time I opened PhotoLine and looked for the Levels (my background experience was Photoshop since version 3.5!). I looked EVERYWHERE, and persisted thinking that such a basic tool must be available.
Then I noticed the "Histogram Correction" entry, and things clicked.

At the time I also suggested that this option ought to be renamed to Levels, since it is indeed the industry standard terminology. It never was, and now I do not mind anymore. From a purist point of view, "Histogram Correction" actually makes more sense than "Levels", I suppose.

But I do agree with you that "Levels" is the term used in every single other image editor on the market, and it is very confusing to users coming from other software or even beginners trying to discover the same function in PhotoLine based on PS tutorials.

I've gotten used to it now.

- ICC profile name at document window header frame (near bit depth and image size info) may be useful.

Yes, could be useful indeed, I agree.
The trouble is deciding what to do with a document consisting of layers with different colour profiles. Unlike Photoshop, any layer can be any bit depth, image mode, and have a custom colour profile assigned as well. So how tot deal with that?

That is why the layer properties display this custom layer profile. The document properties display the overall colour profile.

- Simplify somehow "Tool Settings", "Layer info" and "Document settings" panels layout. That info and tools are really useful but in current view it feels like they waste huge amount of space. Maybe fit all that stuff to single wide top horizontal toolbar?

I agree with you that the tool settings dialog is less than ideal in regards to how it takes up screen space. Currently I have it set to the right of the tools (which I put on the left). But I would love to see that tool settings dialog behave like a properties bar at the top of the screen. The tool settings dialog also has a very different feel to it compared to the Document, Page, and Layer property panels.

I really think a single or double-row properties tool settings top bar would work better.

As for the Document, Page, and Layer panels (and many other panels as well): I think that if these panels could be combined in one panel (as an additional option to what we have now) with a twirl-down button (rather than a tab), it would look much better, and be more easily controlled.

Other panels ought to be consolidated into one, in my opinion:

- the Color list, Pattern list , Texture list, Gradient list, and Document Color list panels could be combined into one panel, with options to filter and allow for nice visual grouping per category. No need for all those separate panels. Folders should be added for additional grouping control. And a search option.

- the curve list, shape list, outline list, and clipart list: same. Put everything in one panel, and again add nice categories with grouping / filtering, as well as a search option.

- the simple and extended layer styles can be simplified into one panel. Same as above.

- scripts are only available in a list in the Filter menu. Consolidate with the Actions panel, or turn this into a dedicated script panel. Currently the list fills up, and it is not possible to organize scripts like actions.

Anyway, lots of low-hanging fruit to improve the overall user experience.

Did separation to "Picture Mode" and "Document mode" really have any sense?

Yes, because document mode acts and works different from picture mode.

- What is the point to keep menus with older "baked correction" tools copies when all same things available as non distinctive Adjustment layers?

Just like Photoshop, sometimes a destructive adjustment is preferable. Easier to just hit ALT-i for a quick invert. No need for an adjustment layer in these cases.

Or am I misunderstanding you?

- The most often usable Menu "Layer- New adjustment layer" is hidden too deep and very complicated to reach every time from menu. It is better to put it to toolbar as separate toolbar item menu. To be honest that layer-tool-filter-effect menus logic with same items multiplied and randomly grouped in different locations may be also simplified somehow in more compact and logical way. (Lucky there is additional icon for quick assess to all adjustment layers at the bottom of layers window)

As you state, the bottom layer panel buttons are generally used in either Photoshop or PhotoLine to add adjustment layers.

And it is also possible to access these through the Adjustment Layer panel to add and/or combine adjustment layers into "super" adjustment layers. And shortcuts are available for the most important ones as well.

So four options in total to access adjustment/filter layers.

- UI icons redesign.

This has been discussed before (many times). The beta has new simple icons which look generally better than the older ones. That said, all icons could benefit from an overhaul by a good icon designer. I am pretty sure the developers would be willing to add them as an extra choice to PhotoLine.

But who will take up this rather time-consuming task?

- Unified cross platform UI theme with Light Grey and Dark Grey color versions. Single window + tabs and multi window floating mode layout support. This is probably the most complicated and fundamental redesign request, but i really want to hope that it will happen soon or late. Nice examples of simple and same time human friendly UI are last versions of Photoshop, Gimp 2.10, Cinema 4D, Davinci Resolve. In current state Photoline UI looks very random and not too user friendly, especially on mac OS.

As I suggested earlier, at the very least all major GUI colours should be adjustable by the user.

The scollbars in Windows look horrendous, and should be updated to look more modern. Or just provide an option to hide those scrollbars altogether, because I think most experienced users just use the middle mouse button or the hand tool (space bar) to navigate the view.
And in Windows the window chrome of non-maximized file windows look extremely clunky and ugly. I posted a proposal for a nicer look a while ago (you reacted to that post, I noticed).

[shijan]

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[shijan]

Here is another not too logical layout for the color selection tool. In HSV and Grayscale mode black located at the top and white located at the bottom. Sort of flipped. Any other app i see always use black at the bottom in color selection tool. Also i noticed that RGB gradient direction is also flipped compare to Photoshop grarient direction.

[shijan]

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[shijan]

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[shijan]

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[shijan]

More custom controls for Rounded Square/Rectangle. Something like this:

Also there is some conflict between Tool settings when Square/Rectangle is selected and and between Layer Settings. Sometimes changes in Tool settings take no effect on already created shapes.

[shijan]

Layer style problem: Outside shadow is actually not real outside. If you apply it to (semi)transparent image - shadow is visible inside under the image.
Also shadow size feels very very limited. Shadow limit should be increased at least to 1000% instead of 100%


outside shadow should look like this:


It is also strange that layer Opacity don't affect layer style. For example even if i put layer into group and change Opacity - the shadow remains unchanged.

[shijan]

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[shijan]

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[der_fotograf]

You can somewhere activate the center point -> tool -> show rotation point in Layer Tool

In addition, you can snap i.e. a crop or selection marquee to borders or guides by pressing ALT when using the tool.

All essential and »simple« feature are there, it's just a bit hard to find them. Believe me, I'm using PL for more than 10 years now, but I am always amazed about the built-in functions and options when I read this forum. Most of them I've never seen or used.

The check marks next to the eye icons: you can select them to work on the selected layers.

[der_fotograf]

In »Preferences« or »Options« you can define the extreme color value limit -> Options -> Display -> Extreme Values

[der_fotograf]

Just because PS and other packages call it »Levels«, the name »Histogram« is correct — it corresponds the the rear display of digital cameras, where it is named as well »Histogram«. Simple as that.

May I ask why you compare PL to other software? The other software is not an industry standard though they claim it — no DIN/ISO or UL standard at all.

Use PL as a very precise tool, it is much more precise than any other package on the market.

[Herbert123]

I also wonder what is the real life point of this element? I see that it indicates when layer is selected. But same time selected layers are always well highlighted by selection color. So that icon near the eye seems like rudiment element. Also i am very often press it by mistake instead of eye icon when i want to turn on/off layer visibility. Maybe at least move it slightly further off the eye icon?

It allows for multiple selecting layers with the mouse only. I find it quite useful when I am working with my Wacom only. No need to hold down <shift> or <ctrl> to select multiple layers.

Crop Tool and Rectangle/Circle Lasso Tool: Those tools Needs Center point similar to center point used in layer handles. Or at least center crosshatch guide overlay.

Agreed, having a custom pivot point would be handy in cases, both for the selections as well as for the cropping tool.

Mind, as a work-around, convert the lasso to a layer, transform with a custom pivot point set, and convert back to a lasso.

Also shadow size feels very very limited. Shadow limit should be increased at least to 1000% instead of 100%

Agreed, I requested this many years ago. Same with the outside glowing and other parameters such as Distance. Not too sure why these have these hard set limits.

It is also strange that layer Opacity don't affect layer style. For example even if i put layer into group and change Opacity - the shadow remains unchanged.

It works if you set the group to "Draw Isolated". Just a different way of doing things, and I like the extra control.

Also separate tabs for simple settings looks not too user friendly. Too many clicks here and there during adjustments.

I think a non-modal panel similar to the layer panel would work much better for layer effect adjustments. The modal pop-up workflow gets in the way of a smooth workflow, and should ideally be replaced by a non-modal properties panel, similar to the Adjustment Layer panel. And an option to stack multiple effects would be nice!

All settings could easily be accommodated in the same panel = perhaps with collapsible sub-categories.

The modal dialog is a bit of a relic from the old days of PhotoLine, to be honest.

More custom controls for Rounded Square/Rectangle. Something like this:

Definitely. And on-canvas control widgets to adjust these properties quickly with the mouse.

- Double click (or right click, or middle click) on any slider handle to reset it to default.
- Indicator in UI which adjustment layer support 32 bit processing and which is not

A quick method to reset a specific setting would be welcome.

I think the adjustment layer support information for 32bit processing could be added to the manual entries instead.

Also it looks very strange for me that adjustment layer toolbars have blue color tint same time as all other UI toolbars use pure grey or native OS color?

On Windows these look better (grey). Must be a OS X thing.

it is really strange that so many essential and simple things are missed.

As it is equally strange that many other very basic workflow issues in Photoshop have persisted for decades such as its fake legacy 16bit mode, the lack of layer support in index and 1bit mode, not being able to adjust layer effects for multiple selected layers, forcing users to convert images to smart object for non-destructive scaling, and so on, and so forth. I can go on and on.That is the nature of software.

The great thing about PhotoLine's developers is that they do consider each reasonable request and often implement user requests within one or two beta versions. Compared to just five years ago, PhotoLine has improved tremendously.

State your request, make a good argument why it is important to have, and how it will benefit the user. Preferably one request in one post.

One thing to avoid is to compare to PS too much.